I recently bought a new box. I heavily considered the HF box, as it was in the right size and price range. I also looked at the lowes and HD offerings.
What I purchased, as it was available to me (not much outside of NE and Midwest) was a Menards Masterforce 46 inch. It's more expensive than the HF, but considerably less than a truck brand box. After careful consideration of it's features and my needs, I felt it was a great deal better than the HF. I liked the way the drawers worked, they seemed more ridgid due to slightly better design, and overall the fit, finish and quality was better. Materials and construction features were similar to the HF boxes, the slightly better design and construction makes it a much better box. Like a lot of the goods manufactured in developing countries, the HF can copy the materials and looks of better items, but falls short in the testing and improving the design, and in doing quality execution and quality control of the final product.
The HF box was better than the HF and Lowes boxes of comparable price because of essentially "brute force" methodology. The metal is thicker, there's more of it, there's more/better glides, there's better bracing, lining, gusseting pieces built into the design. The assembly quality is maybe a bit lower, but if you examine the box you actually buy, you can sidestep that issue a bit. Overall, the brute force method makes it better than other low line boxes, but doesn't bring it up to the top of the mid line boxes and doesn't even approach the lowest rung of the top line boxes.
The HF is a good value for the price if you like it and it fits your needs. If you want something elegant as well as functional, it starts to fall short. If your needs demand a top quality product, you're going to need to spend 5 to 10 times as much for a top tier box instead. If your ego demands a prestige product, you're going to have to pay top dollar for a truck brand box.
Just for comparison, I have an old Williams road box, a Snap on KRA road box, a Masterforce 46" set (Menards top line) a 26" Performax set (Menards lower line), and an assortment of Kennedy's. I consider the HF US generals to be below all of these I mentioned, although they approach the quality of the Performax and in brute force strength exceed the Kennedy's (not in quality, though). I'm a typical Garage Journal level do it yourselfer, picky about my stuff, own a full complement of professional quality tools, but not doing professional work every day. I'd use the HF boxes as storage to support my workbench, but wouldn't use them for my heavy duty mechanics tool storage needs.
Here's the link to the Menards box I bought:
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/tool-storage/tool-chests-boxes/masterforce-reg-46-tool-chest-and-cabinet-combo/p-1444451680170-c-9188.htm?tid=6340261015027287296
I personally don't own any, I refuse to have tools with the name of my home town that are "professionally made in China".
